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Oishinbo a la carte #1
Oishinbo: A la carte 1: Cocina japonesa
Este t¨ªtulo, el referente por excelencia del manga gastron¨®mico, nos desvela de forma amena y comprensible los secretos de la cocina japonesa y su influencia cultural. Esta edici¨®n, por primera vez en espa?ol, selecciona los mejores cap¨ªtulos en vol¨²menes tem¨¢ticos.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
65 people are currently reading
1,557 people want to read
About the author
Tetsu Kariya
304?books45?followersÑãÎÝÕÜ
Manga writer and essayist extraordinaire Tetsu Kariya graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974, when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Oishinbo.
Manga writer and essayist extraordinaire Tetsu Kariya graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974, when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Oishinbo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
October 20, 2016
Really impressed that a piece of writing that is primarily intended to instruct people about traditional Japanese cuisine managed to be so full of plot interest and even emotional weight. I don't know if he'll be able to keep it up, but I'll definitely be reading more. I may even eventually try some of the cooking technique tips.
December 7, 2014
This might sum up the difference between (mainstream) Western comics and Japanese manga: Oishinbo is a series about food, one that lasted more than twenty years and 100 volumes, regularly selling over one million copies per volume. To put that into perspective, , the best-selling single trade paperback last year, sold less than a quarter that amount, in a country with more than twice the population. It's kind of amazing, when you think about it.
Due to the extremely long running nature of the book, it would have been borderline crazy for VIZ to attempt a full translation. So this series is basically going to be a "greatest hits" version, divided into collections based on theme. It's an unusual tactic, but this series it actually works. Sure, it leads to oddities, like having to be told in a translation note at the end of the book that two characters have married. But since I'm not paying much attention to the story, it didn't bother me.
Because the thing is, I don't particularly care about the overarching story. In a nutshell: the main character, a journalist, was raised by an ultra-gourmet, famous potter, and complete asshole. And, as you might expect, he's an asshole, too. They hate each other endlessly. And that's about it. I didn't like either of them in the least, and the book was improved anytime they either weren't on panel or kept their mouths shut.
But the food... Now that's another story. The food is beautifully, lovingly drawn, and described in wonderfully vivid and enthusiastic terms. Better yet, there's a great deal of attention paid to technique, the exact way that you would prepare a dish, and why it should be prepared in that way. Maybe you couldn't learn to cook from Oishinbo, but you could definitely expand your understanding of how to cook, and of food in general. This is a book that makes a big deal when strawberries are served in cream. Because that would cover the natural flavor of the strawberries. Yes, this is a book that's passionate about food, and about Japanese food in particular. And nothing to be read while hungry.
If it were only about the food, I would have rated this four stars. I loved those parts. But the non-food story was meh at best, and I was happier by far when it was absent or easily ignored. Still, I want to see more of this delicious food!
Due to the extremely long running nature of the book, it would have been borderline crazy for VIZ to attempt a full translation. So this series is basically going to be a "greatest hits" version, divided into collections based on theme. It's an unusual tactic, but this series it actually works. Sure, it leads to oddities, like having to be told in a translation note at the end of the book that two characters have married. But since I'm not paying much attention to the story, it didn't bother me.
Because the thing is, I don't particularly care about the overarching story. In a nutshell: the main character, a journalist, was raised by an ultra-gourmet, famous potter, and complete asshole. And, as you might expect, he's an asshole, too. They hate each other endlessly. And that's about it. I didn't like either of them in the least, and the book was improved anytime they either weren't on panel or kept their mouths shut.
But the food... Now that's another story. The food is beautifully, lovingly drawn, and described in wonderfully vivid and enthusiastic terms. Better yet, there's a great deal of attention paid to technique, the exact way that you would prepare a dish, and why it should be prepared in that way. Maybe you couldn't learn to cook from Oishinbo, but you could definitely expand your understanding of how to cook, and of food in general. This is a book that makes a big deal when strawberries are served in cream. Because that would cover the natural flavor of the strawberries. Yes, this is a book that's passionate about food, and about Japanese food in particular. And nothing to be read while hungry.
If it were only about the food, I would have rated this four stars. I loved those parts. But the non-food story was meh at best, and I was happier by far when it was absent or easily ignored. Still, I want to see more of this delicious food!
January 11, 2019
This was my first experience with Manga and in some respects it maybe an atypical one. If I am going to get into a comic book series then one about food is more likely than most to sway me. I didn't fully appreciate how much I would learn from this book. It is a deep-dive into Japanese food culture presented in the Manga style. The opening lesson / story is about the correct way to make dashi and woe betide the cook that screws this up. Bowls of dashi are hurled about and cooks fired for smoking, least it infuse the ingredients. Some of this is played for laughs but there is plenty of food philosophy here and I especially liked the not so subtle dig at flashy presentations over more traditional techniques where respect for the ingredient is paramount.
The only frustration for me in reading about cuisine in this format is that I missed the beautiful food photography you would expect to find in books on Japanese food. A black and white sketch of a bowl of miso soup with clams in it is disturbingly unappealing !
The only frustration for me in reading about cuisine in this format is that I missed the beautiful food photography you would expect to find in books on Japanese food. A black and white sketch of a bowl of miso soup with clams in it is disturbingly unappealing !
February 28, 2013
28 February 2013
Dear Poor Library Patron who reads this after me,
I profusely apologize for the drool-stained condition in which you shall receive this book. The gorgeously illustrated food had my salivary glands working overtime. It could not be helped. My advice to you is to wear a bib and hold the book a good two-feet's distance away from mouth. Keep yummy snack handy to distract your chops from chewing on delectable book. Enjoy.
This here is foodie nirvana. Oishinbo, Volume 1 - Japanese Cuisine combines two of my most favorite things: food and manga. There are even a couple of recipes included! EEEEEEEEEE! The opening pages display beautiful photographs detailing the steps in the recipes featured in the story. Yum!
Journalists Shir? Yamaoka and Y?ko Kurita are tasked with the project to research and create the "Ultimate Menu" for T?zai News. Together they embark on a gastronomic adventure to discover the epitome of Japanese cuisine. The intricate drawings and explanations of the food is absolutely mouthwatering. The care and craftsmanship that goes into the seemingly simple-looking dishes gave me a whole new appreciation for my favorite cuisine.
These volumes do not follow the chronological order of how Oishinbo was originally released in Japan. The stories have been picked apart and then combined into similar categories such as sake, ramen, and izakaya to form the volumes. I think this takes away from the story feeling cohesive, making the narrative feel flat at times.
The star of the show is the food. In truth, if you take the food away I probably would not have enjoyed this story as much. Every "course" or chapter follows the exact same formula. Someone fumbles their knowledge on food preparations, there's a lot of yelling, Shir? gets lectured by Y?zan Kaibara on how much he doesn't understand the true meaning of cooking, and some culinary hero saves the day by making a mind-blowing dish with exquisite care and detail.
Although the characters are one-dimensional and the plot trudges forward, the educational value that is contained within this manga more than makes up for any flaw. You get more than a lesson on Japanese culture and food. You are getting the heart of Japan. This is a wonderful book to relish and savor.
Dear Poor Library Patron who reads this after me,
I profusely apologize for the drool-stained condition in which you shall receive this book. The gorgeously illustrated food had my salivary glands working overtime. It could not be helped. My advice to you is to wear a bib and hold the book a good two-feet's distance away from mouth. Keep yummy snack handy to distract your chops from chewing on delectable book. Enjoy.
This here is foodie nirvana. Oishinbo, Volume 1 - Japanese Cuisine combines two of my most favorite things: food and manga. There are even a couple of recipes included! EEEEEEEEEE! The opening pages display beautiful photographs detailing the steps in the recipes featured in the story. Yum!
Journalists Shir? Yamaoka and Y?ko Kurita are tasked with the project to research and create the "Ultimate Menu" for T?zai News. Together they embark on a gastronomic adventure to discover the epitome of Japanese cuisine. The intricate drawings and explanations of the food is absolutely mouthwatering. The care and craftsmanship that goes into the seemingly simple-looking dishes gave me a whole new appreciation for my favorite cuisine.
These volumes do not follow the chronological order of how Oishinbo was originally released in Japan. The stories have been picked apart and then combined into similar categories such as sake, ramen, and izakaya to form the volumes. I think this takes away from the story feeling cohesive, making the narrative feel flat at times.
The star of the show is the food. In truth, if you take the food away I probably would not have enjoyed this story as much. Every "course" or chapter follows the exact same formula. Someone fumbles their knowledge on food preparations, there's a lot of yelling, Shir? gets lectured by Y?zan Kaibara on how much he doesn't understand the true meaning of cooking, and some culinary hero saves the day by making a mind-blowing dish with exquisite care and detail.
Although the characters are one-dimensional and the plot trudges forward, the educational value that is contained within this manga more than makes up for any flaw. You get more than a lesson on Japanese culture and food. You are getting the heart of Japan. This is a wonderful book to relish and savor.
December 3, 2009
My first manga! I had to practice the whole backwards thing, I even walked backwards down the block while walking my dog. Didn't help things.
This book was given to me by USA Today's PopCandy blogger Whitney Matheson (the coolest chick I know in media, serious). I was like, wtf is this? Graphic novel about food? Oooh boy!
I love it! It's so weird and wonderful, the drama over food is so hysterical, and yet seems to give me a glimpse into Japanese culture that I'd never have any other way. I love love it! So strange and interesting at the same time. makes me want to go over there for an eating tour! Will read all of them :D
This book was given to me by USA Today's PopCandy blogger Whitney Matheson (the coolest chick I know in media, serious). I was like, wtf is this? Graphic novel about food? Oooh boy!
I love it! It's so weird and wonderful, the drama over food is so hysterical, and yet seems to give me a glimpse into Japanese culture that I'd never have any other way. I love love it! So strange and interesting at the same time. makes me want to go over there for an eating tour! Will read all of them :D
May 16, 2023
Oishinbo ("The Gourmet") [1983 - 2014] - ¡ï¡ï¡ï1/2
This is a long-running, immensely popular, critically-acclaimed Japanese manga that focuses on the art of cooking. In this manga, food preparation is elevated to one of the highest forms of art (as Japanese food and its presentation/preparation are considered to be). In this story, culinary prodigy Shir¨ Yamaoka is paired with girl Y¨±ko Kurita to come up with the "Ultimate Menu", and, later, the series focuses on such dishes as rice, udon (thick, wheat-flour noodles) and fish-based delicacies. In the task of coming up with "the Ultimate Menu", though, Shir¨ faces his "adversaries", for example, in the form of his dictatorial father who is also considered to be a culinary expert. Shir¨'s feud with his father is one of the dramatic elements of the story, with the authors trying to make points about the generational misunderstandings within families in Japan. From a couple of Oishinbo instalments that I read, I can say that, although the characters do appear a bit stereotypical and the plot is sometimes frustrating, it is an enjoyable manga overall. The focus on the food of Japan and all its relevant aesthetics more than makes up for all the plot and character weaknesses.
This is a long-running, immensely popular, critically-acclaimed Japanese manga that focuses on the art of cooking. In this manga, food preparation is elevated to one of the highest forms of art (as Japanese food and its presentation/preparation are considered to be). In this story, culinary prodigy Shir¨ Yamaoka is paired with girl Y¨±ko Kurita to come up with the "Ultimate Menu", and, later, the series focuses on such dishes as rice, udon (thick, wheat-flour noodles) and fish-based delicacies. In the task of coming up with "the Ultimate Menu", though, Shir¨ faces his "adversaries", for example, in the form of his dictatorial father who is also considered to be a culinary expert. Shir¨'s feud with his father is one of the dramatic elements of the story, with the authors trying to make points about the generational misunderstandings within families in Japan. From a couple of Oishinbo instalments that I read, I can say that, although the characters do appear a bit stereotypical and the plot is sometimes frustrating, it is an enjoyable manga overall. The focus on the food of Japan and all its relevant aesthetics more than makes up for all the plot and character weaknesses.
September 15, 2021
What¡ªI don't have a food shelf?
Oishinbo is a bestselling Japanese manga series, which has branched out into anime (available on YouTube). There is a thin story line in the volume, and also recipes ¡ª or at least hints at how to prepare gourmet-quality Japanese cuisine.
The characters are very one-dimensional, and often annoying. Their interactions are forced and predictable. The value here is the reverence for food, the best quality food. However, having lived in Japan I know that most people are not purchasing organic traditional miso, aged for 2 years in a barrel, but are selecting the cheaper supermarket brands made in factories. But perhaps that is why this series is so popular in Japan ¡ª it is promoting a fantasy, a nostalgic utopian fantasy, and elevating Japanese cuisine to a point where it can be consumed by everyone, in a comic series, or as anime.
3.5 stars, rounded down, because few of us can afford that special rice grown by hand on the right slope of the perfect mountain in the part of Japan with the purest water and cleanest air.
Oishinbo is a bestselling Japanese manga series, which has branched out into anime (available on YouTube). There is a thin story line in the volume, and also recipes ¡ª or at least hints at how to prepare gourmet-quality Japanese cuisine.
The characters are very one-dimensional, and often annoying. Their interactions are forced and predictable. The value here is the reverence for food, the best quality food. However, having lived in Japan I know that most people are not purchasing organic traditional miso, aged for 2 years in a barrel, but are selecting the cheaper supermarket brands made in factories. But perhaps that is why this series is so popular in Japan ¡ª it is promoting a fantasy, a nostalgic utopian fantasy, and elevating Japanese cuisine to a point where it can be consumed by everyone, in a comic series, or as anime.
3.5 stars, rounded down, because few of us can afford that special rice grown by hand on the right slope of the perfect mountain in the part of Japan with the purest water and cleanest air.
December 26, 2016
A very good premise: a manga overview of japanese cuisine. However it was a bit repetitive in tone, too frequently going back to the 'spirit' of the food as its defining character. Also I was a bit disappointed it did not cover any interesting local dishes from different prefectures, or any food from certain times of the year or festivals. The characters showed much more emotion and anger than I think is common in Japan - perhaps that is part of the manga allure: showing emotions in a way that is proscribed in real life? The artwork seemed like standard manga to me (but I don't read mangas).
May 5, 2022
A nice before sleep read: lighthearted with fun facts about Japanese cuisine. I haven¡¯t read a manga in years and this is in an old school style that I didn¡¯t know I missed.
July 6, 2017
Me regalaron este manga pensando en lo mucho que me gusta la cocina y lo mucho que me llama la atenci¨®n el mundo oriental y en ese sentido no se equivocaron. Lamentablemente creo que en ese sentido se le podr¨ªa haber sacado mucho m¨¢s partido al manga. De ah¨ª que se lleve el "it was ok", que no es que no me haya gustado, pero tampoco creo que de para m¨¢s.
Si no me equivoco, la idea del mismo no es otra sino intentar explicar y ense?ar la cocina tradicional japonesa a un mundo donde no es muy conocida y hab¨ªa curiosidad por la misma. Tened en cuenta que el manga comenz¨® a publicarse en los ochenta, obviamente no hab¨ªa la globalizaci¨®n que hay ahora.
La trama es bastante simple, un padre, cocinero profesional, que machac¨® a su hijo con ense?anzas desde muy joven de tal manera que este termina resintiendole y renegando de ¨¦l ya que cree que es un tirano (que lo es xD). Se dedican a encontrarse y enfrentarse a lo largo del manga, ya que el hijo es cr¨ªtico culinario y escribe en un peri¨®dico. Ciertamente esto no es m¨¢s que un trasfondo pero es m¨¢s que efectivo para la verdadera esencia del manga: la comida japonesa.
En este caso creo que ten¨ªa much¨ªsimo potencial, pero no lo han sabido aprovechar. El dibujo es muy de los ochenta, que si bien no es mi estilo favorito, tampoco me ha disgustado completamente. Creo que pierde mucho al ser en blanco y negro ya que su principal atractivo es mostrar platos e ingredientes y no haber color, se pierde mucho detalle siendo muy complicado apreciarlos. Al final del manga, encontramos descripciones de los platos y sus nombres, con la p¨¢gina en que salen, pero cuando llegas al final, se te ha olvidado de la misa la mitad. Yo habr¨ªa buscado intercalarlos de forma m¨¢s enlazada en la trama porque, para cuando llegas al final, es una mera lista con p¨¢ginas de referencia. Tambi¨¦n, el bombardeo de platos llega a un nivel tan masivo que es dif¨ªcil retener la informaci¨®n a nivel did¨¢ctico porque no te dan tiempo a asimilarlo.
Es un manga que probablemente nunca hubiera comprado por mi misma, pero que como regalo tiene su punto ya que resulta bastante curioso. Se deja leer bastante bien, no se hace pesado, aunque evidentemente es repetitivo en algunos puntos al no tener una trama muy elaborada, pero tiene algunos puntos de humor y comentarios graciosos que hacen que la lectura sea bastante ligera.
Si no me equivoco, la idea del mismo no es otra sino intentar explicar y ense?ar la cocina tradicional japonesa a un mundo donde no es muy conocida y hab¨ªa curiosidad por la misma. Tened en cuenta que el manga comenz¨® a publicarse en los ochenta, obviamente no hab¨ªa la globalizaci¨®n que hay ahora.
La trama es bastante simple, un padre, cocinero profesional, que machac¨® a su hijo con ense?anzas desde muy joven de tal manera que este termina resintiendole y renegando de ¨¦l ya que cree que es un tirano (que lo es xD). Se dedican a encontrarse y enfrentarse a lo largo del manga, ya que el hijo es cr¨ªtico culinario y escribe en un peri¨®dico. Ciertamente esto no es m¨¢s que un trasfondo pero es m¨¢s que efectivo para la verdadera esencia del manga: la comida japonesa.
En este caso creo que ten¨ªa much¨ªsimo potencial, pero no lo han sabido aprovechar. El dibujo es muy de los ochenta, que si bien no es mi estilo favorito, tampoco me ha disgustado completamente. Creo que pierde mucho al ser en blanco y negro ya que su principal atractivo es mostrar platos e ingredientes y no haber color, se pierde mucho detalle siendo muy complicado apreciarlos. Al final del manga, encontramos descripciones de los platos y sus nombres, con la p¨¢gina en que salen, pero cuando llegas al final, se te ha olvidado de la misa la mitad. Yo habr¨ªa buscado intercalarlos de forma m¨¢s enlazada en la trama porque, para cuando llegas al final, es una mera lista con p¨¢ginas de referencia. Tambi¨¦n, el bombardeo de platos llega a un nivel tan masivo que es dif¨ªcil retener la informaci¨®n a nivel did¨¢ctico porque no te dan tiempo a asimilarlo.
Es un manga que probablemente nunca hubiera comprado por mi misma, pero que como regalo tiene su punto ya que resulta bastante curioso. Se deja leer bastante bien, no se hace pesado, aunque evidentemente es repetitivo en algunos puntos al no tener una trama muy elaborada, pero tiene algunos puntos de humor y comentarios graciosos que hacen que la lectura sea bastante ligera.
February 6, 2017
A pesar de trama y personajes simplones, me ha gustado por los siguientes motivos:
- destaca la frescura y la calidad del producto como elementos ineludibles para conseguir seducir al comensal.
- se ocupa de la t¨¦cnica del dominio del corte, que requiere de un cuchillo adecuado, para poder ofrecer sashimi perfecto.
- se detiene en la importancia de la vajilla, materiales y colores, que participa del ritual de preparar los alimentos en Jap¨®n.
- no olvida la dedicaci¨®n, la disciplina y la autoexigencia necesarios para alcanzar el reconocimiento como itamae (chef) o maestro de te.
Para aprender y disfrutar.
- destaca la frescura y la calidad del producto como elementos ineludibles para conseguir seducir al comensal.
- se ocupa de la t¨¦cnica del dominio del corte, que requiere de un cuchillo adecuado, para poder ofrecer sashimi perfecto.
- se detiene en la importancia de la vajilla, materiales y colores, que participa del ritual de preparar los alimentos en Jap¨®n.
- no olvida la dedicaci¨®n, la disciplina y la autoexigencia necesarios para alcanzar el reconocimiento como itamae (chef) o maestro de te.
Para aprender y disfrutar.
July 29, 2019
Me ha encantado descubrir el origen del ³¦¨®³¾¾±³¦ gastron¨®mico. Este volumen es divertido, es entretenido y curioso, te explica genial de qu¨¦ va realmente la gastronom¨ªa japonesa, te descubre cosas. Las historietas son breves, con continuidad y a veces algo facilonas pero sinceramente, ni siquiera importa porque el valor del comic no est¨¢ en eso sino en c¨®mo te transmite la comida y su valor. Se disfruta much¨ªsimo.
June 14, 2020
3.5 stars
I randomly picked this book while browsing through Kinokuniya bookstore just because it said Japanese cuisine. It was a great introduction to Japanese cuisine and culture. I am a vegetarian and I should have realized that their cuisine is basically raw seafood. That decreased my enjoyment as I did not enjoy reading about how to cut meat or what type of fish tastes better etc.
I think a person who loves Japanese cuisine and seafood would love this book.
This book is like a collection of short stories about a person who is obsessed with eating perfectly cooked food and his son who hates him because of this obsession. The son says that his mother died because of this obsession of his father. He made his wife cook dishes multiple times until he was satisfied with the taste. First few stories are about this fight between father and son where the son is trying to prove that food prepared in a simple fashion could be great tasting too. Last few stories were what I enjoyed the most as they talk about their cuisine and culture.
I am still not convinced how chopping meat and serving it raw could be considered ¡°cooking¡±, even though the author gave many explanations for it. Indian cooking is so complex and uses so many ingredients. I liked the part about how the tea ceremony needs to get rid of vanity. I had read about Japanese tea ceremony earlier too and I like the fact that these ceremonies are so minimalistic.
There is some discussion about chopsticks and how they are made. I now want to try using a wooden chopstick sometime as the author made a point about how metal flavors everything it touches.
I am glad I read this book. I will get hold of the sequels someday.
I randomly picked this book while browsing through Kinokuniya bookstore just because it said Japanese cuisine. It was a great introduction to Japanese cuisine and culture. I am a vegetarian and I should have realized that their cuisine is basically raw seafood. That decreased my enjoyment as I did not enjoy reading about how to cut meat or what type of fish tastes better etc.
I think a person who loves Japanese cuisine and seafood would love this book.
This book is like a collection of short stories about a person who is obsessed with eating perfectly cooked food and his son who hates him because of this obsession. The son says that his mother died because of this obsession of his father. He made his wife cook dishes multiple times until he was satisfied with the taste. First few stories are about this fight between father and son where the son is trying to prove that food prepared in a simple fashion could be great tasting too. Last few stories were what I enjoyed the most as they talk about their cuisine and culture.
I am still not convinced how chopping meat and serving it raw could be considered ¡°cooking¡±, even though the author gave many explanations for it. Indian cooking is so complex and uses so many ingredients. I liked the part about how the tea ceremony needs to get rid of vanity. I had read about Japanese tea ceremony earlier too and I like the fact that these ceremonies are so minimalistic.
There is some discussion about chopsticks and how they are made. I now want to try using a wooden chopstick sometime as the author made a point about how metal flavors everything it touches.
I am glad I read this book. I will get hold of the sequels someday.
September 28, 2019
Picked this up on a whim at Isotope and was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I don't know too much about Japanese cooking so the basic overviews were very helpful. The Yamaoka / Kaibara conflict was amusingly absurd, and the values articulated and implied were interesting, e.g. a cosmopolitain appreciation for the qualities in cuisines from all places, but also a very specific and rigid definition of what is right and wrong in Japanese cuisine. Female characters were almost exclusively accessories, with the exception of Kurita's contributions in the last chapter, so take that for what you will. It's also interesting that while they harped on the excellence of the simple basic elements, they never seemed address how the characters eat on a day to day basis. Where do they go out for lunch? What's a weeknight dinner look like? They do go out to lunch at a cafeteria-style place in once scene, but it's not clear if this is typical, and most of the scene is devoted to Yamaoka berating a co-worker for eating nori incorrectly and not on the quality of the dishes or who prepared them. Is the food good? How do dishes and standards vary from day-to-day meals like this to the celebratory feasts or quintessential experiences that constitute most of the meals in the book?
Much to criticize, but much to enjoy too. I'm glad to have a new-to-me manga series I can look for
at comic shops now!
Much to criticize, but much to enjoy too. I'm glad to have a new-to-me manga series I can look for
at comic shops now!
September 9, 2019
Yea foodie manga! Oishinbo looks at the heart of Japanese food and the care and thought that goes into each dish.
The English translation pulls together the best chapters and groups them by theme (here, Japanese Cuisine). The comic ran for 30 years (!) so we get hints at character arcs and development but don't see it ourselves. The art is serviceable, the translation well done. I especially appreciated the translator's notes at the end which provide detail and context. It was great to have the Japanese names of dishes included - there are so many fish that I only know in Japanese, so I was lost until I checked in the back. (Ayu is "sweetfish", who knew?!)
I'm glad this book got me interested in the series, and I'll be searching out the first few volumes in Japanese so I can enjoy the character development and plot as it was originally presented.
The English translation pulls together the best chapters and groups them by theme (here, Japanese Cuisine). The comic ran for 30 years (!) so we get hints at character arcs and development but don't see it ourselves. The art is serviceable, the translation well done. I especially appreciated the translator's notes at the end which provide detail and context. It was great to have the Japanese names of dishes included - there are so many fish that I only know in Japanese, so I was lost until I checked in the back. (Ayu is "sweetfish", who knew?!)
I'm glad this book got me interested in the series, and I'll be searching out the first few volumes in Japanese so I can enjoy the character development and plot as it was originally presented.
April 18, 2020
Fun first book in a manga series about Japanese cuisine. This first installment is about the broader components of Japanese cuisine and is told through a story about a young man who has been challenged to come up "The Ultimate Menu" and is constantly being berated by his father, a very famous gourmet food aficionado and artist. Loved the food aspect of it and will definitely being moving on to the second book which focuses on sake.
April 15, 2019
My first foray into manga, and what better subject than an entire book about Japanese food! This curated volume is organized into "courses" with each chapter focusing on a different type of food, preparation method, or presentation, highlighting what makes Japanese food and culture unique. The constant antagonism between Yamaoka and his father, Kaibara, gets a little wearing, but it's not overwhelming, and the food is the main focus. I learned so much and the notes at the back are really helpful in providing definitions and context. I'd definitely read another in the series, and can see why it has had such a long run in Japan!
February 13, 2020
My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
January 7, 2024
?????? (3)
El drama padre-hijo me hace gracia y la cocina japonesa est¨¢ chula.
Me aburr¨ª un poco en algunos cap¨ªtulos.
El drama padre-hijo me hace gracia y la cocina japonesa est¨¢ chula.
Me aburr¨ª un poco en algunos cap¨ªtulos.
April 26, 2023
"Oishinbo" es una carta de amor a la gastronom¨ªa y a la cultura japonesa, un manga que, en clave de humor, te descubrir¨¢ la filosof¨ªa que hay detr¨¢s de una de las cocinas m¨¢s importantes del mundo.
March 3, 2018
Um verdadeiro tratado para quem quer saber mais sobre a gastronomia japonesa, os seus ingredientes, t¨¦cnicas e as tradi??es. Um mang¨¢ de fazer crescer ¨¢gua na boca ^_^
Essencial e OBRIGAT?RIO para todos aqueles que se interssam pela cultura japonesa!!!
Essencial e OBRIGAT?RIO para todos aqueles que se interssam pela cultura japonesa!!!
November 30, 2018
Un libro que da mucho apetito, did¨¢ctico sobre la gastronom¨ªa japonesa, una delicia en ese sentido. Pero a la vez, un poco pesado por el machirulismo omnipresente en la historia, llena de hombres iracundos que se retan todo el rato y una sola chica que aunque sabe mucho no se atreve a decirlo. Muy japon¨¦s todo, sin duda.
December 25, 2018
I'm pretty surprised that the Masterchef crowd haven't latched onto the long-running Oishinbo (The Gourmet) the way they've put boots on the ground for Gourmet Traveller. Perhaps it's because there's a loud-mouthed character in this who's perfectly willing to underscore their lack of culinary knowledge, rather than to foster their kitchen fantasies. I mean:
That's Kaibara Yuzan. He's a gourmet, runs a gourmet club, and though he's based on a real person (, so badass he rejected the idea of being made a Living National Treasure) he's inhumanly perceptive where food is concerned.
He's also an inhuman arsehole. See, Kaibara has a son who's a journalist. And he's split from his father over both work - son Yamaoka is working for a rival on an Ultimate Menu -and over the fact that his father was so demanding about having food made to his exacting standards that his mother died.
Yikes.
So, there's a lot of high-quality cuisine, and a bunch of high-tension meetings between father and son at foodie events. There's a lot to be said by the heavy lifting done by the word GLARE in this series, or the amount of expression relayed by a clenched fist. Considering the subject at hand is food, it's deliciously and appropriately hammy.
Not so hammy but always looming is the concept of behaviour in society: Yamaoka is always counselled to keep calm, to not make a scene. People lament their lack of knowledge. The idea of being embarrassed by another's actions, or by their inability to apologise. There's a strong thread of appearances and what's right both in the wider world and the kitchen at play, and it creates some subtler currents through the work than I'd expected.
This volume is the first of seven compiled by Viz for English publication. It's presented in traditional format - right-to-left reading - but there's a key difference in the way the book's been structured. Rather than take the typical manga-in-English approach of trying to present a whole run of a title, each volume is a compilation, a gathering of relevant stories from throughout the work's run, roped together under ideas. This first one covers the idea of Japanese Cuisine as a whole, so serves as an introduction for a key concern of the work: what is Japanese cuisine? Is it an approach? Can you quantify it? Can foreigners get it right? Other volumes cover sake, noodles, vegetables and so on. So what we're presented with, rather than a straight narrative line, is a degustation of appropriate stories.
Initially, I was surprised by this. I didn't really figure it out until I read elsewhere that this was how the books had been compiled. This explained the spoilers present in the dramatis personae of the volume, at least. But it's a neat way of presenting snapshots in the characters' lives, particularly given that the work's overarching story - the adventures of a culinary journalist - aren't exactly thrilling. But what does hold my interest is the way information is dripfed to the reader: lots of ephemeral cooking secrets are passed along in a way that doesn't seem particularly showy or shoehorned in. It's neat (and nerdy) and proves that sometimes attention to detail can stand in for overarching narrative.
The art is surprisingly detailed in places. Elsewhere, Hanasaki Akira's linework is more straightforwardly comical - big curves and the simplicity that's associated with some kinds of manga - but when it comes to food, precision rules. There's something refreshing in seeing comical characters - a quiff and a black suit for Yamaoka - set against painstakingly rendered foodstuffs.
I don't know how well I'll go with another six volumes of the same thing. Probably about the same as here: I love Japanese food, and the nuggets of info dispensed here are reward enough. Will the Ultimate Menu ever be finalised? Eh, who cares. Will I continue to learn cool stuff about food I'm too inept to cook? Most definitely.
Good enough for me, then, to have some more.
That's Kaibara Yuzan. He's a gourmet, runs a gourmet club, and though he's based on a real person (, so badass he rejected the idea of being made a Living National Treasure) he's inhumanly perceptive where food is concerned.
He's also an inhuman arsehole. See, Kaibara has a son who's a journalist. And he's split from his father over both work - son Yamaoka is working for a rival on an Ultimate Menu -and over the fact that his father was so demanding about having food made to his exacting standards that his mother died.
Yikes.
So, there's a lot of high-quality cuisine, and a bunch of high-tension meetings between father and son at foodie events. There's a lot to be said by the heavy lifting done by the word GLARE in this series, or the amount of expression relayed by a clenched fist. Considering the subject at hand is food, it's deliciously and appropriately hammy.
Not so hammy but always looming is the concept of behaviour in society: Yamaoka is always counselled to keep calm, to not make a scene. People lament their lack of knowledge. The idea of being embarrassed by another's actions, or by their inability to apologise. There's a strong thread of appearances and what's right both in the wider world and the kitchen at play, and it creates some subtler currents through the work than I'd expected.
This volume is the first of seven compiled by Viz for English publication. It's presented in traditional format - right-to-left reading - but there's a key difference in the way the book's been structured. Rather than take the typical manga-in-English approach of trying to present a whole run of a title, each volume is a compilation, a gathering of relevant stories from throughout the work's run, roped together under ideas. This first one covers the idea of Japanese Cuisine as a whole, so serves as an introduction for a key concern of the work: what is Japanese cuisine? Is it an approach? Can you quantify it? Can foreigners get it right? Other volumes cover sake, noodles, vegetables and so on. So what we're presented with, rather than a straight narrative line, is a degustation of appropriate stories.
Initially, I was surprised by this. I didn't really figure it out until I read elsewhere that this was how the books had been compiled. This explained the spoilers present in the dramatis personae of the volume, at least. But it's a neat way of presenting snapshots in the characters' lives, particularly given that the work's overarching story - the adventures of a culinary journalist - aren't exactly thrilling. But what does hold my interest is the way information is dripfed to the reader: lots of ephemeral cooking secrets are passed along in a way that doesn't seem particularly showy or shoehorned in. It's neat (and nerdy) and proves that sometimes attention to detail can stand in for overarching narrative.
The art is surprisingly detailed in places. Elsewhere, Hanasaki Akira's linework is more straightforwardly comical - big curves and the simplicity that's associated with some kinds of manga - but when it comes to food, precision rules. There's something refreshing in seeing comical characters - a quiff and a black suit for Yamaoka - set against painstakingly rendered foodstuffs.
I don't know how well I'll go with another six volumes of the same thing. Probably about the same as here: I love Japanese food, and the nuggets of info dispensed here are reward enough. Will the Ultimate Menu ever be finalised? Eh, who cares. Will I continue to learn cool stuff about food I'm too inept to cook? Most definitely.
Good enough for me, then, to have some more.
July 30, 2017
Set against the backdrop of a food battle between a father and son to prepare the Ultimate Japanese Menu this book was a great primer on the basics of Japanese cuisine. Each chapter covered a different element of Japanese cuisine and overall provided good references and explanatory notes outside of the text boxes.
March 25, 2020
Book #28 for 2019
My Personal Reading Challenge:
- A book translated from its original language
- A book that takes place on an island or in which the characters find themselves stranded
Ampersand: A book that became a TV show
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge: A book of manga
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book with footnotes or endnotes
The Modern Mrs Darcy Challenge: A book outside your (genre) comfort zone
PopSugar:
- A book recommended by a celebrity you admire (Felicia Day)
- A book author from Asia, Africa, or South America
Ragdoll Reads: A graphic novel
I was not enthused about trying manga, but I figured if anything could capture my interest, it would be a foodie manga. This one sounded like a real winner for me. Turns out, not so much. The protagonist and his father were both toxically masculine, uber pretentious brats and I kinda wished somebody in the kitchen would poison both of their meals. This story about rival newspapers and their foodie columns was also hard to follow. Yes, I know, manga is backwards. But the artwork didn't distinguish facial characteristics very well, and names were similar enough that I was constantly re-reading to figure out who was saying or doing what.
Some of the details about cooking were interesting, but they weren't really things I could directly apply to my own cooking. A lot of the stuff was also needlessly complicated or fussy. Though I do agree that the guy's father totally had a point that a smoker has no place in a kitchen. At Le Mirabelle we had a sous-chef who was constantly taking smoke breaks out in the alley, and it didn't take long for him and Christian to get into a huge fight ¨¤ la Kitchen Nightmares. Don't worry, Gordon, Christian's got this. (Also, cleanest kitchen I have ever seen. I made the mistake of looking bored once. Christian made me polish the pipes under the sinks.)
In general, I just didn't get much out of this. And this was the most promising of the mangas I considered, so I think it's a genre that just is not for me.
My Personal Reading Challenge:
- A book translated from its original language
- A book that takes place on an island or in which the characters find themselves stranded
Ampersand: A book that became a TV show
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge: A book of manga
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book with footnotes or endnotes
The Modern Mrs Darcy Challenge: A book outside your (genre) comfort zone
PopSugar:
- A book recommended by a celebrity you admire (Felicia Day)
- A book author from Asia, Africa, or South America
Ragdoll Reads: A graphic novel
I was not enthused about trying manga, but I figured if anything could capture my interest, it would be a foodie manga. This one sounded like a real winner for me. Turns out, not so much. The protagonist and his father were both toxically masculine, uber pretentious brats and I kinda wished somebody in the kitchen would poison both of their meals. This story about rival newspapers and their foodie columns was also hard to follow. Yes, I know, manga is backwards. But the artwork didn't distinguish facial characteristics very well, and names were similar enough that I was constantly re-reading to figure out who was saying or doing what.
Some of the details about cooking were interesting, but they weren't really things I could directly apply to my own cooking. A lot of the stuff was also needlessly complicated or fussy. Though I do agree that the guy's father totally had a point that a smoker has no place in a kitchen. At Le Mirabelle we had a sous-chef who was constantly taking smoke breaks out in the alley, and it didn't take long for him and Christian to get into a huge fight ¨¤ la Kitchen Nightmares. Don't worry, Gordon, Christian's got this. (Also, cleanest kitchen I have ever seen. I made the mistake of looking bored once. Christian made me polish the pipes under the sinks.)
In general, I just didn't get much out of this. And this was the most promising of the mangas I considered, so I think it's a genre that just is not for me.
August 4, 2018
Recopilaci¨®n no cronol¨®gica de las historias m¨¢s notables del popular manga gastron¨®mico de Akira Hanasaki. Mientras que los vol¨²menes posteriores se enfocan en aspectos espec¨ªficos de la cocina japonesa, este primer tomo compila historias sin un eje tem¨¢tico, supongo que para dirigir la compra inicial de la colecci¨®n.
Como buen manga de tem¨¢tica profesional, se toma bastante en serio el tema que trata y llega a niveles de sofisticaci¨®n tan atrayentes como desconcertantes en algunos momentos. Se aprende bastante sobre la aut¨¦ntica cocina japonesa y sobre su esencia de pureza y sacrificio, aunque estos mismos valores y esfuerzos pueden chocar al lector que no est¨¦ muy familiarizado con la cultura que la sustenta.
Sobre la historia personal, centrada en la rivalidad paterno-filial de los protagonistas principales, por desgracia no hay realmente nada destacable y resulta tan exagerada como na?f; el desorden temporal de los relatos cortos tampoco ayuda a crear un v¨ªnculo entre personajes y casi deja m¨¢s patente la flaqueza con la que el gui¨®n trata a los secundarios de cada historia. La sensaci¨®n que queda es la de consumir la edici¨®n recalentada de una historia que nos es familiar de alg¨²n modo, con el agravante, adem¨¢s, de saber cercanos los peores ticks del manga de la ¨¦poca (cierto sexismo, clasismo, rancio orgullo nacional... disfrazados con inocencia)
En cualquier caso, a Oishinbo se llega por el paladar y por la t¨¦cnica, y dudo que nadie que se acerque a las p¨¢ginas de este manga, muy bien traducido y adaptado por Marc Bernab¨¦ con la ayuda de Roger Ortu?o en su edici¨®n espa?ola, salga defraudado en este sentido.
Como buen manga de tem¨¢tica profesional, se toma bastante en serio el tema que trata y llega a niveles de sofisticaci¨®n tan atrayentes como desconcertantes en algunos momentos. Se aprende bastante sobre la aut¨¦ntica cocina japonesa y sobre su esencia de pureza y sacrificio, aunque estos mismos valores y esfuerzos pueden chocar al lector que no est¨¦ muy familiarizado con la cultura que la sustenta.
Sobre la historia personal, centrada en la rivalidad paterno-filial de los protagonistas principales, por desgracia no hay realmente nada destacable y resulta tan exagerada como na?f; el desorden temporal de los relatos cortos tampoco ayuda a crear un v¨ªnculo entre personajes y casi deja m¨¢s patente la flaqueza con la que el gui¨®n trata a los secundarios de cada historia. La sensaci¨®n que queda es la de consumir la edici¨®n recalentada de una historia que nos es familiar de alg¨²n modo, con el agravante, adem¨¢s, de saber cercanos los peores ticks del manga de la ¨¦poca (cierto sexismo, clasismo, rancio orgullo nacional... disfrazados con inocencia)
En cualquier caso, a Oishinbo se llega por el paladar y por la t¨¦cnica, y dudo que nadie que se acerque a las p¨¢ginas de este manga, muy bien traducido y adaptado por Marc Bernab¨¦ con la ayuda de Roger Ortu?o en su edici¨®n espa?ola, salga defraudado en este sentido.
April 5, 2010
Foodies, Japanese-style. Oishinbo follows the adventures of culinary journalist and slacker Shiro Yamaoka and his partner Yuko Kurita in their apparently never-ending quest to create the "Ultimate Menu," a meal embodying the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. Shiro often butts heads with his estranged father Yuzan Kaibara, a famous artist (whose sculptures Shiro once smashed to bits -- thus the estrangement) and founder of the ultra-exclusive Gourmet Club.
The American version of this popular manga series is published "a la carte," which means that the American publisher pulled it apart and put it back together according to food category. So instead of a coherent narrative, you get all the episodes dealing with sake, sushi, pub food, etc., in one volume. As a result, the continuity gets lost, and you'll probably be a little confused while reading the series in the order it's published in the United States. Still, the end notes do a decent job of explaining the back story you lose, and the main story is simple enough that you won't be lost. This is a fun series that will make you run to the nearest Japanese restaurant hoping to find something you read about here. (This review applies to the other volumes that I read in the series .)
The American version of this popular manga series is published "a la carte," which means that the American publisher pulled it apart and put it back together according to food category. So instead of a coherent narrative, you get all the episodes dealing with sake, sushi, pub food, etc., in one volume. As a result, the continuity gets lost, and you'll probably be a little confused while reading the series in the order it's published in the United States. Still, the end notes do a decent job of explaining the back story you lose, and the main story is simple enough that you won't be lost. This is a fun series that will make you run to the nearest Japanese restaurant hoping to find something you read about here. (This review applies to the other volumes that I read in the series .)
March 8, 2010
This manga is an awesome way to learn about Japanese cooking, their values and sensibilities; especially if you're a cooking plebeian but want to be culturally aware and sensitive. This is despite the facts that the art isn't as appealing as many I've read, the story around the father/son's relationship isn't that interesting and you have to deal with a certain amount of superiority around Japanese cooking as compared to other culture's cooking. I find the latter the easiest to overlook, because I feel like it's coming from a certain defensiveness based on people of other cultures treating Japanese food with less respect than they could. Kariya clearly loves Japanese food, and it comes through in a positive way, making the reader feel that their time spent learning this subject is definitely worthwhile.
Not to mention that reading manga may be one of the only ways to force me to learn about cooking of any sort...
Not to mention that reading manga may be one of the only ways to force me to learn about cooking of any sort...
June 16, 2010
I was never really drawn to manga but my wife kind of likes it so when I found out about a food manga series in Bon Appetite Magazine I decided to get it from the library. I read four books in the series before I got tired of it and this will serve as a review of all four. I find that it is hard to write food fiction without coming across as both pretentious and contrived. This series was no exception. The story lines were just totally unpalatable. The only exceptions to this generalization that I can think of are "Like Water for Chocolate" and the movie "Rattatuie". There was some redemeing esoteric information about Japanese cuisine, but alot of it was kind of unuseful as many of the ingredients and especially the sakis are unobtainable in the US.
April 10, 2019
Well, I've read almost all the series (close to vol 100) of the Japanese original. The English version is a digest, I guess, but still carries the extreme sincerity they put into food.
The author is also quite an activist, and some of the original manga had the social edge, pointing out the relationship between good, safe food and healthy environment, and how governments often interfere. And I gather the series was halted at vol 111 when he wrote about the Fukushima meltdown issue. Yeah, that's what the gov do--shutting up inconvenient opinions. Even in manga.
Taking one star off because the English version is a digest. The original was great; I read it over and over.
The author is also quite an activist, and some of the original manga had the social edge, pointing out the relationship between good, safe food and healthy environment, and how governments often interfere. And I gather the series was halted at vol 111 when he wrote about the Fukushima meltdown issue. Yeah, that's what the gov do--shutting up inconvenient opinions. Even in manga.
Taking one star off because the English version is a digest. The original was great; I read it over and over.
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